My Day Through a Tall Window in SF

Monday, January 22, 2018

Late... very dark and with only a cat to talk to... and that a complaining one. You are old, Mother Sylvia, the other old woman said / and yet you continuously stand on your head / do you think at your age that is bright? I loved Lewis Carroll and his lovely rhymes, and have used them as a basis for many of mine. Oh, good lord, I made the mistake of hitting the photo booth... I guess it is best never to use Skype... Poor Jackie... I rail at him for not combing his hair and not getting out of his nightshirt all day... and I do the same. I had forgotten to comb my hair, and it is far, far longer and more untidy than his!
Today, after watching '60 Minutes' with all the lovely people who used to do it back again... I wanted someone to talk to about all of them... all dead and gone long since. Dreadful old Mike Wallace who used to scream at people. I remember him in Chicago when he was still the kid yelling "When did you hit your wife, senator?" and other charming phrases. I even remember when he had a program with his wife... oh, what was her name... a blonde... of course. All the rest were my darling friends every Sunday... Morley Safer, Ed Bradley, Bob Simon (my favorite) and funny Andy Rooney. So far they haven't been replaced. The new talking heads are good... but oh, they are not those great men. And now I shall make a little confession... I SO MISS Charlie Rose... I can't imagine him doing anything bad enough to take him away!! Where will he go... what will he do? Will he ever return? I do miss him so much.
And on those notes, I was amazed to find that if I have the strength to stay up and listen to him, James Comey is almost a good replacement for Craig Ferguson, whom I thought would never be replaced... and whom I thought should be the one to replace old what's is name... oh.. Letterman, whom I never could stand... as I adored Craig. He was such fun I stayed up. Comey is a rather ugly, fat, little man, but he is kind (something Carson & Letterman never were) and a really good interviewer, letting the people talk and not topping them, as some of the interviewers do... even Colbert, whom I like, tends to do that... of course he can top drumpf!!
Then of course there was 'Victoria' tonight. I love this series... the BBC has it all over our TV series makers. I actually cried tonight... I had a terrible time after I had Whitney... went into a rotten depression and she cried all the time as I was trying to nurse and couldn't, so she was hungry constantly... so I made bottles, but she wanted to be held and rocked and fed... I will never forget the saint next door who was the oldest of 10 or so, and hearing both Whitney and me crying every night, came over and taught me how to be a mother. My mother couldn't do it... she had nurses and mother's helpers and the works during all her pregnancies, so only saw dry, fed children (of course, she nursed us... she said she could have nurses triplets) for a short time each day. Then when we settled in Memphis, she had our Mammy Mary to care for us. When I think back to those days in Memphis, Mary was more of a mother than Jessie. Losing her was like losing a mother and I still tend to tear up when I think of her, but then 'I'm a sentimental sap, that's all / what's the use of trying not to fall / so turn me loose, you cooked my goose / 'cause you took advantage of me... another of my favorite tunes from way, way, way back when. I believe it was an early Bing Crosby tune... sung before my time, but taught to me by Ned Travis, a San Francisco guy, and a great jazz drummer, who knew Bing and many other musicians out here.
Another confession... I really miss driving my dear little blue Chevette all over the Chicago area when I was designing things for the homebound handicapped at Easter Seal... and singing all the old songs at the top of my lungs as I drove. No one could hear me, or criticize my voice as Whitney always did. Well, I'm off to bed now, so I shall sing myself to sleep and if Sylvia doesn't like it, she can go in and eat the food she wouldn't finish tonight!

Monday, December 4, 2017

I find it very interesting that the people (mainly men) who were elected to make our laws seem to have forgotten how. When they present a supposed new law with chicken scratches of unreadable hand written changes at the end, that no one can read, I think it may be time to toss them all out and try to find individuals who can at least read and write. Maybe make a new law that anyone wishing to serve as a legislator must first take the test given to people applying for citizenship, then a timed one on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in English, of course. Then perhaps, an essay on why they wish to serve, what they have in their background that makes them a fit, knowledgeable candidate for the job, presented with a 10 year copy of their tax records and any amount collected to help in their campaign with a list of donors who contributed over $1,000. These tests will of course be timed and taken in front of a judge and a group of twelve citizens in government offices across the country, It will then be read and checked out by two members of the Democratic and Republican parties. Those chosen to run will then be awarded money for their ‘run’... half of the money collected ($1.00 from each taxpayer) from citizens of their state.
Perhaps, while we are at it, let’s clean up a few other errors. In future, all legislators will be paid like other citizens, with Social Security deducted from their pay, and paying taxes each year with the rest of the country. They will be in their seats in either the House of Representatives or the Senate at least four hours a day, and allowed only one trip outside the U.S. a year, with no trips paid for by donors anywhere. It’s a job, being a good legislator and will have to be treated as one, boys and girls.
Of course, all of these rules and tests must be given to all persons being paid by the U.S. government. That includes the President and all of his cabinet, with each job having a special test related to the particular work to be done by that member, and each person chosen must present an essay explaining his/her background and reason for serving, and will give up ties with any company or work for the time served with the government.
With any luck, Universities will catch on and begin teaching classes in government, with emphasis on how laws are made and how legislators serve in various other countries, and perhaps how they should be made in this country.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

It can’t be that I went to sleep one night having spent the day talking to some reasonably intelligent people at the bus stop, at the store, along the street, then I wake up the next morning and seem to be surrounded by either drug addicts or people with trumpian brains (the ‘lack of’ sort).
I live in San Francisco. This is my spiritual home, has been since I was 16 years old. I moved here for not only the lovely cool weather, but also for the cool people… the liberal, charming, kind and intelligent people I met over the years I visited, hoping to move here. Thrity-five years ago, even though my husband had stolen all the money I had saved to buy a home here, I came to live perhaps in less comfortable circumstances than I had hoped, found a tiny apartment in the Mission, the only place I could afford, worked at temp jobs until age sixty-five. Sadly all the rest of my IRA went to replace a knee so that I could still keep walking… that was done before, then after I hit sixty-five, I had the other done. So one knee ate up the whole of my savings, then Medicare gave me the other. With enormous luck I managed to get a low number in a low-income drawing and now have a home in the Mission for life, and have learned how to ‘live poor.’ A necessary evil, as Social Security seems to think that a cost of living raise means around $5 or 6 a month. Guess they haven’t bought bread and almond milk lately.
Then came the day when, in spite of my vote and all the others in CA., we have a ‘leader,’ a man who is called our ‘president’ in spite of the fact he got millions of votes LESS than his opponent, who is trying to split our country in two. He lies and cheats and claims ‘the other side’ is so unpatriotic… that we all were not supporting our wonderful fighting men… etc., etc., and yet he avoided serving the country during the Vietnam war on the flimsiest of excuses, a ‘bone spur’ in his foot. Hey… I had one of those and my foot doctor gave me a simple shot in the heel… I’ve never felt pain of any unease since, and it’s been years. This man simply REFUSED to serve his country and went back to his slimy cheating and stealing and running after women he could ‘get’ because he had some pocket money from his daddy. I’m sick & tired of hearing how patriotic that bum in the White House is when NO ONE in his family has ever served our country - he is not serving it now but is deliberately dividing it.
He has done nothing for, nor does he even notice the enormous number of homeless, almost crowding us out with their tents in my city. He speaks only to the smaller and smaller groups of his old white men who are the only ones who really support him and his views. The young people who need help, the troubled, the jobless young and old black men, those before mentioned hopeless tent dwellers are all ignored in the money raising yells organized constantly by the trumpian horde. And of whom do they complain? The players in the NFL. He has decided to twist their simple way of showing their wish to protest the lack of understanding of the treatment of just the people I mentioned above into some crazy notion of lack of patriotism by the players. This from a man who is really unpatriotic, who has never done anything for our country. If he has, I’d like to know about it.
Colin Kaepernik, and all the other brave protesters… be it known that I am with you. I fear for my country, for it is being taken over by the wealthiest people in the world. They are trying to separate us into groups to fight each other and distract us all, so that they can retain the ‘top,’ keep all of their money and add to it, making sure they can leave it to their children in toto and also keep all of the power of governance. In this way they can let us fight and they can clean up for good and take their money out of the country and educate their children in better private schools, set up by dear Betsy so the government pays for them, while their so-called ‘experts’ ruin the public schools for the rest of our poor children.
Fight on, oh wonderful athletes and I guess all you 'Millenials'. You became strong in body and worked your way up to an important ‘place’ in the country, struggling to make a good living to care for your family in the few years you remain in such good shape. Just remember to keep your family close, save your money and put your children in good schools to learn how to invest it well. And above all, help your community to grow and learn how to do good like the Kaepernik kid is doing. He’s on his way to becoming a strong, good and kind leader of the sort we need to defeat the lying, cheating and double dealing of the sort trump and his badly chosen cabinet of billionaires are doing now.
Go, go, go kids… this old crone is with you all the way!! With love to all….
Peggy Cartwright

Saturday, September 23, 2017

For the last couple of years, because I have been alone and bored, make that horribly alone and sad, I have made up a list of the people I would like to have with me for a Christmas dinner (the sort of which Dickens wrote). I suppose I choose the kind of people who are great conversationalists, including people I have known and people I would like to have known, or know now. So I shall sit her on a very boring Sunday, following my 93rd birthday, alone as I was for the birthday, and make up a new list. No relatives this time, I think, although I know both Jessie and Betty Rae would be enormously welcomed by all the others for their bright comments. Even Daddy would be great, or Papa, they were so full of charm and stories. What a family I had and how I miss them now that I am completely alone, the last of the Michigan Cartwrights, except for Kath and maybe somewhere a cousin named Jeannie Jefferson Bock (spelling?) and perhaps a couple of others if the ones I knew had children. How lost I feel, and how alone now that my sister (and nemisis) is really gone.
Ah, but back to the list... let's see: I almost always want Noel Coward (and a handy piano), so I suppose I should include Gertie also. What fun they must have been at a party, as they had known each other most of their lives and had so much to talk about. (And I could sing off-key with Gertie, for I know all their songs.) I had considered Bernie Sanders, but it is too close to an election and Politicians can get rather one-sided at those times. Ah... women first, how about both Queens Elizabeth of England... The Great Queen was brilliant and the dear little newer one a charmer with a good sense of humor. Now to match them with males, odd, I never put Dickens on my list, lets choose him and Mark Twain, there's an odd, but interesting match. Perhaps a match for me... no, not Kirkie, he doesn't go with this bunch. I get Orson Welles, as I have always wanted to talk to him. With Steve gone, this year I shall pick Tim Cook and pair him with Rachel Maddow, both of whom I would love to talk with. And, because I simply adore them and they are also pushing on toward their ends, I shall choose Judi Dench and helen Mirren. now, what gentlemen could come up to match with this pair? Ah, why not Billy Connelly and Mel Brooks, as those ladies do appreciate men with a sense of humour.
Now that's twelve and I shall go to bed early on Christmas and dream about my wonderful dinner... for I shall have none that day, but probably just spend my whole day trying to get poor old Sylvia to eat if she is still alive.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

I don't know why I am putting this here, but it's a start, maybe it will spread. I am now convinced that the low life in the White House is so busy trying to get even with anyone who has made fun of him, or crossed him in any way. Since the world is now full of those people (he started with trying to ruin anything done by Obama), something must be done before he completely ruins the country tying to get even with everyone. He is costing us a bloody fortune with his flying around to his various golf courses and hotels, and this has to stop. Here is my plan to try to stop the nonsense, cost and annoyance of this dreadful fool.
We have an idiot, liar and coward in the White House, donald j. drumpf. He must be addressed by his original name (just as I wrote it) and roundly ignored by every normal person in the U.S. Who cares what faux news has to say, every other news service in the U.S. has to just ignore him. He has nothing of import to say, he just wants us to keep his name in the news, so let’s not do it. Reporters can go to the press briefings, but let them play with their phones or turn their seats around and play poker or just go to sleep in their chairs... but do NOT ask about the oaf in the White House and never address him. What we need the reporters to do is to interview anyone who is anti-drumpf, but the interview should be about THAT person, with NO questions about drumpf. We should also ask the reporters to interview Obama about what he is now doing, hopefully for the country, also Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and both ex-presidents Bush. I saw a lovely program recently of Bill and Georgie being interviewed about their developing friendship (I always said old George found Bill the son he never had, and this confirmed it.) Georgie said his dad really enjoyed working with Bill.
I sort of get the feeling that if we all try just ignoring everything crazy that drumpf does it might just drive him over the line and he will have to be picked up off the floor of the White House and carried off to a mental facility, screaming and crying. We know... we have proof... that he is a coward, a liar, a fool and has a bad case of ADHD, incapable of staying on topic for more than a few minutes. He is the classic Narcissist so should be a wreck within about a week. After being ignored and not having anything said about him (except on faux news, brietbart and a few far-right You Tube channels) all should be well. If you see him or he speaks to you, turn your back and walk. Won’t it be wonderful to have decent news every night... real news. What Angela Merkle is doing, how Brexit is going, are the French getting along with Macron? Make sure every one of you writes to your favorite station and tell them this is what you want... no more drumpf, anything but, and write to all the sponsors, tell them you love their products and their ads, happy they are not sponsoring any show that allows drumpf. When the top news people interview INTERESTING people like Bill Clinton or even Georgie about his painting, be sure to write and tell them how much you enjoyed the interview. If they break down and interview or even mention drumpf, write and tell them that you are switching to any other news person from a different network.
About the foolish republicans who have given in to the nonsense and horror of this man who did not win the election, perhaps they too should be ignored At least if they attempt to aid him in his ruin of the country. At the mention of his name, whoever is interviewing should cut the interview short and tell the person that they are not interested in hearing about a non-person and to get back on subject or the interview will be cut completely. We will simply have to be a country without a leader for a short time. We probably should ask The Guardian and the London Times and other large foreign media to ignore drummpf also.
All this might hurt for awhile, but I am convinced it will result in removing a moron who has been acting like a five year old brat from a job he is incapable of doing.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Since I have almost no readers this probably isn't worth putting here... but here it is, my note to The Guardian... one of my favorite places online:

To: The Guardian (American Edition) on the internet...

I
am a 92 year old woman whose ancestors fought in the American
Revolution, living on my meagre Social Security, probably to be cut or
wiped out by the trumpians if they can. I carefully prepared for a
comfortable retirement, but my money was gambled away by one of the
lovely ignorant U.S. 'white men' of trumpian bent, my second husband. Now,
those of us left behind must read, listen, learn and continue the fight.
You and the others are helping, dear Guardian.

I appreciate your real news and
therefore sent you my very small contribution. I hope many others like
me also give as much as they can. We need you more each day before the
repoops/trumpians shut us all down. You, the NYTimes and New Yorker are
about the only reading I do anymore, and since I subscribe to the other
two, you should get a bit also. Thank you for your work! Keep it up.

Peggy Cartwright If anyone does read my posts... think about contributing, we need this 'paper' (what DOES one call them now? God... when I think of all the old, almost obsolete words I use constantly. Soon to be gone as I shall. Think about it... children looking at you bewildered, saying 'radio' what is 'radio'?... 'newspaper' what is 'newspaper?'... and more daily.)

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

I just wrote crying that our poor country is suffering from half the country becoming under-educated idiots. Now I happily read an article on PBS Newshour online about Buckhannon, West Va (known as trump country), where women are revolting (no, not revolting looking... really revolting).

When I think of how many times I marched, talked my head off, wrote about people like Nixon, about bush, cheney and that gang, and how I wondered if it was worth one more march, one more talk, one more getting out there... now I see a woman saying, “It’s like we were all sleeping. Now I think we’re awake.” (Edwina Howard-Jack) Well, I hope so -- where the hell were they when I was pushing Whitney in her stroller in a march, when I was in anti-war marches, protests in Washington, women’s rights marches, and on and on in the ‘50s and ‘60s and ‘70s etc., etc., etc.? Do they know that now, because of trump their children are not being taught well? That if they don’t watch out, Betsy de Voss could make sure that your kids are the ones with inferior teachers and schools, and will therefore definitely not be ready for the new jobs in the new world. I hope they are talking about the inferior people trump has put into his cabinet to ruin our government (helped by his buddy Steve Bannon who admits he has long had plans to wreck the federal government).

I still feel for the intelligence of the ordinary people of this country. I wonder about people who can’t even spell Buchannon (the regular spelling of that old Celtic name). Or, about people who could actually listen to trump and not believe the old joke with a new name at its core: “How do you know if he is lying? Answer: His lips are moving.” I am amazed that anyone could watch this man for more than a few minutes and not just be suspicious of anything he says... but KNOW that he will say anything to get people to applaud him. He scares hell out of me, as he is not only a practiced liar, but also a mean, nasty person, and has shown it so often, from screaming to his audience to beat up and throw out anyone who disagreed with him in his early campaign speeches, to having a woman with a crying baby tossed out also, to the highly nasty speeches made on the just finished European ‘tour.’ That tour, by the way, showed his lack of diplomacy and knowledge well. He praised and chummed up with the Saudis, who raised most of the terrorists who have caused the worst strikes against all of us, had no notion about the Holocaust in Israel (or much of anything else... he is vastly uneducated in History)... pushed aside a head of state to get into the front row of a photo being taken, and generally insulted everyone there. Good for Macron for passing him by to hug Angela Merkle! Too bad he didn’t need to shove trump aside.

One need not even mention that the idiot in chief thinks climate change is something made up and so appointed an EPA chief who agrees on that completely. The European leaders, who rightfully believe the scientists reports, are all commenting on the ignorance of the U.S. government in this matter.

And so, we lose more and more in governmental leadership, but, thank Zeus our women are beginning to wake up, get to work, and fight back against the ignorance of the trumpian idiots. Perhaps intelligence will win... I fear I doubt it after all the pain and marching I’ve been though, but I suppose one CAN hope...